Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Retired Army officer in hot waters for serving wife with fake divorce certificate

March 4,2014, Page 10

In his bid to divorce his wife, a retired
Major of the Ghana Armed Forces, Major Daniel Kwame Bessah, allegedly served
his wife with a fake divorce certificate, for which reason he has been remanded
by the Accra Circuit Court.

Major Bessah (retd) is alleged to have
connived with Akwasi Asare Jnr, a clerk of the Judicial Service, and Charlotte
Ofori, a typist at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), to forge the said
divorce certificate.

He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of
possessing forged judicial/official document, contrary to Section 166 of Act
29/60, and uttering of forged document, contrary to Section 169 of Act 29/60.

Asare has been charged with one count of
forgery of judicial document, while Charlotte is facing one count of abetment
of crime.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the
charges.

The retired Army officer and the other
accused persons are expected to reappear before the court, presided over by Ms
Audrey Korcuvi-Tay, on March 7, 2014.

Facts of the Case

According to the prosecution, the
complainant got married to Major Bessah (retd) on October 12, 2002, under
ordinance and had since been living together as a couple.

In October 2013, the complainant was in her
room when Major Bessah (retd) entered, threw a divorce certificate at her and
directed her to pack out of their matrimonial home for no reason.

The complainant read through the divorce
certificate, dated January 5, 2010 and notarised by the Second Deputy Judicial
Secretary.

Complainant astonished

According to the prosecution, the divorce
certificate shocked the complainant because she had not been notified of any
divorce and had also not participated in any divorce proceedings in any court.

She, therefore, contacted her lawyers, who
reported the matter to the police.

Investigations revealed that the purported
suit No. CC333/10 on the divorce certificate, which was filed at the Circuit
Court, was found to have been signed by a High Court judge, Mr Justice Ofosu
Quartey.

It also came up during investigations that
Justice Quartey had not sat on any such divorce case, while the suit number
could also not be found at the Circuit Court registry.

Outcome of investigations

Police investigations uncovered that both
the Deputy Judicial Secretary and the Chief Registrar of the Circuit Court had
no knowledge of the said divorce certificate.

Asare, in his caution statement, claimed
Charlotte had given him the job and told him it was a mere document meant to
facilitate visa acquisition.

Bessah denies

But Major Bessah (retd) has denied the
claims of the two accused persons and insisted he had gone for the divorce
certificate after paying the required statutory fee.

The prosecution’s position is that Bessah
“knew that he and his wife had not appeared before any court, yet went ahead to
serve the wife with the document, amidst orders to vacate the premises”.

The premises in the context refer to the
matrimonial home of Bessah and the complainant.

In
his bid to divorce his wife, a retired Major of the Ghana Armed Forces,
Major Daniel Kwame Bessah, allegedly served his wife with a fake
divorce certificate, for which reason he has been remanded by the Accra
Circuit Court.

Major Bessah (retd) is alleged to have connived with Akwasi Asare
Jnr, a clerk of the Judicial Service, and Charlotte Ofori, a typist at
the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), to forge the said divorce
certificate.
He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of possessing forged
judicial/official document, contrary to Section 166 of Act 29/60, and
uttering of forged document, contrary to Section 169 of Act 29/60.
Asare has been charged with one count of forgery of judicial
document, while Charlotte is facing one count of abetment of crime.
They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The retired Army officer and the other accused persons are expected
to reappear before the court, presided over by Ms Audrey Korcuvi-Tay, on
March 7, 2014.Facts of the Case
According to the prosecution, the complainant got married to Major
Bessah (retd) on October 12, 2002, under ordinance and had since been
living together as a couple.
In October 2013, the complainant was in her room when Major Bessah
(retd) entered, threw a divorce certificate at her and directed her to
pack out of their matrimonial home for no reason.
The complainant read through the divorce certificate, dated January
5, 2010 and notarised by the Second Deputy Judicial Secretary.Complainant astonished
According to the prosecution, the divorce certificate shocked the
complainant because she had not been notified of any divorce and had
also not participated in any divorce proceedings in any court.
She, therefore, contacted her lawyers, who reported the matter to the police.
Investigations revealed that the purported suit No. CC333/10 on the
divorce certificate, which was filed at the Circuit Court, was found to
have been signed by a High Court judge, Mr Justice Ofosu Quartey.
It also came up during investigations that Justice Quartey had not
sat on any such divorce case, while the suit number could also not be
found at the Circuit Court registry.Outcome of investigations
Police investigations uncovered that both the Deputy Judicial
Secretary and the Chief Registrar of the Circuit Court had no knowledge
of the said divorce certificate.
Asare, in his caution statement, claimed Charlotte had given him the
job and told him it was a mere document meant to facilitate visa
acquisition.Bessah denies
But Major Bessah (retd) has denied the claims of the two accused
persons and insisted he had gone for the divorce certificate after
paying the required statutory fee.
The prosecution’s position is that Bessah “knew that he and his wife
had not appeared before any court, yet went ahead to serve the wife with
the document, amidst orders to vacate the premises”.
The premises in the context refer to the matrimonial home of Bessah and the complainant.

- See more at:
http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/18730-retired-army-officer-in-hot-waters-for-serving-wife-with-fake-divorce-certificate.html#sthash.OmRMm0Pz.dpuf